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2022 -United Lynn Pride hosts week of events
Newly formed United Lynn Pride seeks to unite, engage, and empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community in the city of Lynn, MA through community events, education, outreach, and other various forms of support. A full schedule for Pride Week 2022 is published in this article.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page A6
Date: 2022-06-16
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page A6
Date: 2022-06-16
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
2021 - Rashida Ellis makes the olympics
Lightweight boxer Rashida Ellis, Lynn native and lesbian, powered her way to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at age 26. In 2022, she would go on to win the Elite Women’s World Championship gold, becoming the first American woman to win the lightweight division at the IBA World Championships.
Pictured: Rashida Ellis
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 1
Date: 2021-05-14
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved
Pictured: Rashida Ellis
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 1
Date: 2021-05-14
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved
2019 - RAW invites alumni to Party with a purpose
At Raw Art Works, LGBTQ+ youth find a welcoming creative space as participants and later as alumni. Alison Miller, a RAW alum and current art therapist, holds her work to be auctioned off at Bash: Party with a Purpose.
Pictured: Lesbian artist, Alison Miller
Location: Raw Art Works, 37 Central Square, Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 1
Date: 2019-05-10
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: Lesbian artist, Alison Miller
Location: Raw Art Works, 37 Central Square, Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 1
Date: 2019-05-10
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
2012 - Lesbian T-Shirt sparks controversy
A dress code debate ensued at the School Committee over a student at Lynn English High School wearing a T-shirt that said, "all the cool girls are lesbians.” The debate involved Mayor Judy Flanagan Kennedy, Principal Thomas Strangle, Rick Starbard, Maria Carrasco, and Charlie Gallo.
Source: The Daily Item
Date: 2012-03-10
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Source: The Daily Item
Date: 2012-03-10
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
2010 - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repealed
Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed, allowing LGBTQ Americans to serve openly in the military. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service. Instituted during the Clinton administration, the policy was in effect from February 28, 1994, until September 20, 2011.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Washington, DC
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 2010-12-23
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Washington, DC
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 2010-12-23
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Couple celebrates first same sex marriage license in US
Susan Shepherd and her wife, Marcia Hams, hold the first same-sex marriage license in the US. They met while working at the GE plant in Lynn. Susan worked at GE Lynn from 1975 - 1988 and Marcia Hams worked there from 1976 - 1984.
Pictured: Peter Hams, son of Marcia Hams and Susan Shepherd, looks on as his moms cut the cake at the first anniversary party celebrating marriage equality at Cambridge City Hall. One year previous, Peter’s moms received the first legal same-sex marriage license in the country. That night, Marcia, fighting back tears, said, “There’s a kid somewhere that’s watching this. It’s going to change his whole life.” A year later, Peter had become an eloquent spokesperson for the children of gay and lesbian parents. (Marcia Hams quoted in Yvonne Abraham and Rick Klein, “Free to Marry –Historic Date Arrives,” Boston Globe, 17 May 2004.)
Location: Lynn, MA and Cambridge, MA
Photographer: Marilyn Humphries
Date: 2004-05-17, photo is of their one year anniversary in Cambridge
© 2004 Marilyn Humphries
Pictured: Peter Hams, son of Marcia Hams and Susan Shepherd, looks on as his moms cut the cake at the first anniversary party celebrating marriage equality at Cambridge City Hall. One year previous, Peter’s moms received the first legal same-sex marriage license in the country. That night, Marcia, fighting back tears, said, “There’s a kid somewhere that’s watching this. It’s going to change his whole life.” A year later, Peter had become an eloquent spokesperson for the children of gay and lesbian parents. (Marcia Hams quoted in Yvonne Abraham and Rick Klein, “Free to Marry –Historic Date Arrives,” Boston Globe, 17 May 2004.)
Location: Lynn, MA and Cambridge, MA
Photographer: Marilyn Humphries
Date: 2004-05-17, photo is of their one year anniversary in Cambridge
© 2004 Marilyn Humphries
A lesbian coouple at Fran's Place
Pictured: A lesbian couple at Fran's Place
Location: Fran's Place, 776 Washington St, Lynn, MA
Date: 1984-09-30
Photographer: Marilyn Humphries
© 1984 Marilyn Humphries
Location: Fran's Place, 776 Washington St, Lynn, MA
Date: 1984-09-30
Photographer: Marilyn Humphries
© 1984 Marilyn Humphries
1995 - Women's night at Fran's Place
Fran's Place catered to different groups on different nights but lesbian presence was a constant at the bar.
Pictured: Advertisement
Location: Fran's Place, 776 Washington St., Lynn, MA
Source: In NewsWeekly
Date: 1995-03-12
Pictured: Advertisement
Location: Fran's Place, 776 Washington St., Lynn, MA
Source: In NewsWeekly
Date: 1995-03-12
1993 - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy enacted
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people. While barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service, the policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants. Instituted during the Clinton administration, the policy was in effect from February 28, 1994 until September 20, 2011.
Pictured: News Clipping
Location: Washington, DC
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 1993-10-27
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News Clipping
Location: Washington, DC
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 1993-10-27
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1993 - Gay and Lesbian Student's Bill of Rights
The Lynn Item posed a “Sound Off” question to their readers, “Should gay-lesbian rights be allowed in the public schools?” In December 1993, Governor Weld signed the first in the nation law protecting gay and lesbian students.
Pictured: Letters to the editor
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 4
Date: 1993-05-29
Pictured: Letters to the editor
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 4
Date: 1993-05-29
1992 - Governor approves same-sex benefits, first in US
The governor of Massachusetts was the first governor in the United States to sign an executive order granting lesbian and gay state workers the same bereavement and family leave rights as heterosexual workers.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Boston, MA
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 1992-09-24
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Boston, MA
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 1992-09-24
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1991 - GLAD wins legal victory for two women
Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) successfully defended Katherine Duquette and Laurel Sport against Ralph Feinberg owner of Lynn Auto Exchange for his sexual orientation discrimination.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: The Lynnway, Lynn, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1991-05-12
Pictured: News clipping
Location: The Lynnway, Lynn, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1991-05-12
1991 - MA Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth forms in 1992
The MA Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth was formed in 1992 by Governor William Weld in order to address issues such as gay youth suicide.
Pictured: Senator Robert Havern
Location: Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston, MA
Source: The Daily Item
Date: 1991-05-08
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: Senator Robert Havern
Location: Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston, MA
Source: The Daily Item
Date: 1991-05-08
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1990 - MA reverses ban on gay foster parents
NSGLA members Trish Cannon and Joe Antonelli comment on the importance of this reversal of the ban on lesbian and gay men fostering children.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 1
Date: 1990-04-09
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Lynn Item, page 1
Date: 1990-04-09
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1987 - Presentation on working class lesbians in Lynn bars
Pat Gozemba and Janet Kahn present, “In and Around the Lighthouse: Working-Class Lesbian Bar Culture in the 1950s and 1960s.” Research began at a Fran’s Place Reunion in September 1983.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: The Berkshires Conference at Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1987-09-16
Pictured: News clipping
Location: The Berkshires Conference at Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1987-09-16
1987 - Congressman Barney Frank comes out
Massachusetts representative Barney Frank becomes the second member of Congress to come out as gay but the first to do so willingly. After coming out, he was re-elected by his district many times and has been a champion for civil and gay and lesbian rights.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Washington, DC
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 1987-05-30
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Washington, DC
Source: The Lynn Item
Date: 1987-05-30
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1985 - Courthouse demonstration
A dozen women protested at the hearing of Lee Cunningham, who was accused of assaulting Linda Nichols and beating her unconscious because he thought she was a lesbian.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn District Court, 580 Essex St., Lynn, MA
Source: Gay Community News, page 2
Date: 1985-11-23
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn District Court, 580 Essex St., Lynn, MA
Source: Gay Community News, page 2
Date: 1985-11-23
1985 - Woman beaten for being presumed a lesbian
Safety is a huge concern for LGBTQ people. This article describes how a Swampscott woman was presumed to be a lesbian and then assaulted and beaten unconscious.
Pictured: News Article
Location: Lynn District Court, 580 Essex St., Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page 13
Date: 1985-11-12
Pictured: News Article
Location: Lynn District Court, 580 Essex St., Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page 13
Date: 1985-11-12
1985 - Lynn woman dyke-bashed
Safety is a huge concern for LGBTQ+ people. This article describes how a woman was presumed to be a lesbian and then assaulted and beaten unconscious.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1985-10-12
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1985-10-12
1980 - North Shore Gay Alliance becomes North Shore Gay and Lesbian Alliance
The North Shore Gay Alliance formed in September of 1978 and included members from Lynn such as Sue Sherry, Bruce Paradisand Valerie St. Cyr.. It was later renamed The North Shore Gay and Lesbian Alliance (NSGLA).
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Salem, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page 13
Date: 1980-02-11
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Salem, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page 13
Date: 1980-02-11
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1979 - Item runs LGBTQ+ four part series. Part 3 of 4, “Gay bars/ havens from ‘straight’ life.”
North Shore gays and lesbians comment on the role of bars in gay life.
Pictured: News Clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item
Date: 1979-12-06
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News Clipping
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item
Date: 1979-12-06
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1978 - North Shore Gay Alliance
The North Shore Gay Alliance (NSGA) is founded by David Newton (Beverly), a group of Salem State College students working out of the SSC Human Sexuality Center, and a few community members. NSGLA in twenty years 1978-1998 achieved a membership of about 500 members from all over the North Shore and about 50 Lynn LGBTQ+ folks. The group changed its name to North Shore Gay and Lesbian Alliance (NSGLA) in 1980.
Pictured: A description of the activities of NSGA
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: Salem State University Archives
Date: 1978
Pictured: A description of the activities of NSGA
Location: Lynn, MA
Source: Salem State University Archives
Date: 1978
1974 - First LGBTQ+ state representative elected
Elaine Noble was the first in the US openly lesbian or gay candidate elected to a state legislature. She served two terms as representative for the Fenway-Kenmore and Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Boston, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1974-11-16
Pictured: News clipping
Location: Boston, MA
Source: Gay Community News
Date: 1974-11-16
1971 - Aquarius Lounge burns
Jim Zipper, a Lynn resident and activist reminisces in a 1983 interview, “There used to be a beautiful gay bar on the Lynnway named the Aquarius . . . and it was beautiful.” I mean, it was a place that burned down in the ocean. Beautiful, big. A place like some of the places up on Route 1. I mean, it was really beautiful. It was a palace, and they had gays and lesbians from all over, and it was wild.” It was a beautiful place. Only lasted about two years, and it burnt down.”The Aquarius Lounge operated 1969 to 1971. The fire was of suspicious origin.
Pictured: News article and photo
Location: Aquarius Lounge, 124 Lynnway, Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page 1
Date: 1971-04-24
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News article and photo
Location: Aquarius Lounge, 124 Lynnway, Lynn, MA
Source: The Daily Item, page 1
Date: 1971-04-24
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
1969 - The Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of protests by members of the gay community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Patrons of the Stonewall, other Village lesbian and gay bars and neighborhood street people fought back when the police became violent. The riots are widely considered the watershed event that transformed the gay liberation movement and the twentieth-century fight for LGBT rights in the United States. [from Wikipedia]
Pictured: News clipping
Location: 51-53 Christopher Street, New York City, New York
Source: The New York Daily News, page 113
Date: 1969-07-06
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: News clipping
Location: 51-53 Christopher Street, New York City, New York
Source: The New York Daily News, page 113
Date: 1969-07-06
Copyright © 2024 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved.
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United Lynn Pride Inc. is a 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Non-Profit Organization
EIN: 88-4123340
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